Hill Top, Vagator Goa

Hill Top is Goa's iconic party destination and the place to be for all trance aficionados! People from across the globe convene in this neon palm grove for its legendary psychedelic parties. Sundays are a weekly event here, albeit strict 5pm to 10pm affairs, with international DJs playing the pulsing beats of Goa psy-trance to a mixed global crowd of Goa's residential urban nomads, old school hippies and pixies to eager eyed student backpackers. On Christmas, New Years and other occasional events, Hilltop hosts special raves, where the numbers multiply to the thousands, and the parties last for more than 24 hours.

Hill Top, as its name suggests, is located a top the hill in Vagator and strategically located a distance away from residential neighbourhoods. Deserted by day, this open-air venue transforms to Goa's most prime party destination on some evenings and a flea market on Friday afternoons.

With its neon palm grove of glow-in-dark coconut trees, psychedelic art of luminous designs depicting mandalas, aliens to deities and its vast open playground for Goa's diverse party goers, Hill Top is Goa's most revered fixture of its still prevalent trance scene. The weekly Sunday parties (despite the strictly enforced 10pm curfew), and Christmas and New Year marathon draw crowds from across the globe, to share what remains of Goa’s subversive culture.

Apart from its wild, irreverent vibe, the organization at Hill Top is meticulous- with printed tickets, garbage collectors, kiosks for drinks and food, and artists flown in from across the world, often featuring some the industry's finest. The admission is fair, the drinks are cheap, the vendors sell everything you need and the atmosphere is supremely laid-back, a throwback to another more idyllic era.

SUNDAY EVENINGS (5pm to 10pm): A weekly gathering of trance lovers from all walks of life and corners of the globe. Families with children mingle with bikers, old-school hippies and visiting tourists. As the sun sets, the trance decibels rise, only to wind-up completely by 10pm. During the peak of the season, the Sunday parties at Hill Top can draw quite a crowd. Most recent line-ups have included household names such as DJ Tristan, Infected Mushroom, Goa Gil, Psymmetrix, Raja Ram (he godfather of trance), Ajja and Lost & Found.

XMAS & NEW YEAR'S: The festive season brings two of Goa's most talked about parties, and the last of remaining outdoor raves: Xmas Eve and New Year's Eve at Hill Top. Special permissions are organized and extra hands are hired to ensure these events can rage for more than 24 hours, without a hitch. The global crowd number in the thousands and the line-up is impressive.

FUNKY FRIDAYS: A recent addition to Hill Top's roster of events is its weekly flea market on Fridays. More intimate and selective than the Anjuna Wednesday Market and Arpora Saturday Night Market, Funky Fridays at Hill Top features local and international designers and vendors selling everything from vintage wear, fashion, accessories to cool bric-a-bracs. A great way to spend an afternoon shopping, eating and idling.